Happiness

Essentially, only one condition is needed to lead a happy life. If the condition is fulfilled, I think one can be happy. And the condition can be fulfilled by anyone.
The secret to being happy lies in rendering one’s service. That means dedicating oneself to an individual, society and/or State. Although this is common sense or a normal spirit, many people have failed to exercise it in reality, and consequently, society has become unsound.

　What prevents people from being at others service is self-centeredness, to put ego before considering the circumstances of others. All of us innately have both the desire to be at someone’s service and to remain selfish. The question is which desire we choose to give into.

　What impressed me most during my foot pilgrimage in Shikoku was the service-mindedness of local folks toward pilgrims known as O-henro-san. When I asked them why they were so willing to show so much hospitality, they said: “We get the blessing as well. Our business is thriving because of what we do.” This kind of spirit is based on Oriental culture. Yet, there is a similar way of thinking in the Western world, as well. Western merchants in general consider a donation to, say, a social welfare program as an act to bring happiness also to themselves. There is a passage in the Bible that says, “Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.” In other words, the service is something people do for God. In Shikoku, it is believed that Kukai (Kobo Daishi), the founder of the Buddhist sect of Shingon, walk along with O-henro-san on their pilgrimage and the hospitality shown by the locals is actually directed at Kukai. I felt this great spirit remained strongly alive throughout Shikoku. As it is conveyed to children at home and school, most schoolchildren cheerfully greet passing by O-henro-san.

The engine to nurture such a service spirit，I must say, is, basically, love. As far as true love goes, loving someone is more important than being loved by someone. This providence of love is also based on the teaching of Jesus Christ. “If you wish to be loved, you must show love first.” -- Yugatsuru